I was moved to tears by the overwhelming truth and beauty of a soul exposed in the final two pages of A PIECE OF THE WORLD--Christina's World. Andrew Wyeth has captured on canvas the essence of Christina Olson. In turn, the author has skillfully interpreted the famous painting by Andrew Wyeth, blending the lives of real people with her (Kline's) storytelling talent to create a novel that realistically describes a piece of American history, a life of enduring pain and hardship, interspersed with fleeting moments of joy.
Born in 1937, I grew up in the "gold country" of rural Northern California. The similarities between my world and Christina's world are striking. I enjoyed the book tremendously, reliving sensations and visions of an earlier time. For a few nostalgic days Christina's World became my world.
I highly recommend adding A PIECE OF THE WORLD to the must-read list of avid readers of historical fiction, and especially to book clubs. Discussion topics abound!